At 31 years of age I still cannot sleep on Christmas Eve! I have given up hope of ever growing out of it! I am beginning to think that I love Christmas Eve almost as much as the day itself. My husband and I will get the kids off to bed and then, like many of you, we will start madly wrapping and removing gifts from their hiding places. My husband will drink beer and I suspect there will be stories about the Christmas he got a Walkman and how wonderful it was, how times are changing, I am sure you can imagine the rest. I will follow along as if I haven’t heard it many, many times before. We will reflect on the year that has been with rose coloured glasses and there will be love in the air.
We have had Christmas’ with each of our families and Christmas’ with just the two of us. Christmas’ with friends in the middle of nowhere and Christmas’ with family in gorgeous parts of the country. Christmas’ at my old home town, and Christmas’ in just about every State of Australia! Today however, the Christmas’ we love the most are the ones we spend in our home, together, just doing our thing and indulging the little people.
The Christmas buzz is in the air, it will only get louder from here! I want to get amongst it; I want Christmas to go on and on. I’m starting with this slice, I think it makes a perfect Christmas gift. If however it is far too early for you to think about such things then just keep it for yourself!
Christmas Slice
1 cup (150 grams) roughly chopped cacao butter
1/2 cup raw cashews
1/2 cup desiccated coconut
4 tablespoons of maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon concentrated natural vanilla extract
1/4 cup goji berries
1/4 cup pistachios
Melt the cacao butter over low heat.
Blend the cashews and coconut at high speed until it is a smooth paste, I have a high speed blender and still this takes a little while. Reduce the speed and slowly pour in the melted cacao butter, vanilla and maple syrup. Blend until well combined, to ensure it is smooth I again increase the speed. Pour the mixture into a silicon loaf tin, evenly sprinkle the berries and pistachios over the top. Put it in the fridge to set. Chop and enjoy.
I tend to store this in the fridge, however, it is stable at room temperature and delicious either way.